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Mrs.  iiarg  A.  1mm. 


MRS.  MARY  A.  DIXON, 

Born  in  Richmond,  Va.,  October  io,  1838. 
Died  in  Greensboro,  N.  C,  Dec.  ii,  1889. 
For  thirty-seven  years  a  child  of  the  King. 


In  writing  an  article  upon  the  lives  of  these  beloved  Sisters, 
their  work  is  so  interlocked  with  the  early  history  of  the 
Greensboro  Baptists,  that  it  is  impossible  to  speak  of  them  in- 
dividually without  dwelling  largely  upon  the  Church  (in  its 
infant  struggles)  of  which  they  were  so  much  a  part. 

Sister  Dixon  moved  to  Greensboro  in  1865  or  1866,  some 
six  or  seven  years  after  the  Church  organization  in  1859,  after 
Dr.  John  Mitchell,  the  first  Pastor,  had  closed  his  labors.  But 
from  Dr.  J.  B.  Richardson,  with  whom  Sister  Dixon  labored 
throughout  his  pastorate,  beginning  in  the  winter  of  '70  or  '71, 
we  quote  the  following:  "  I  preached  my  first  sermon  in  what 
was  then  known  as  Garrett's  Hall.  I  had  but  three  hearers, 
Bro.  W.  B.  Crump  and  Sisters  Dixon  and  Potts.  (Sister  Payne 
was  not  living  in  Greensboro  just  at  this  time. )  The  above 
three  were  the  only  ones  who  covenanted  to  meet  my  traveling 
expenses  and  board,  in  order  that  they  might  hear  the  Gospel, 
(as  the  Baptists  hold  it)  once  a  month.  With  the  first  three 
hearers  (who  had  called  me  to  the  Pastorate  of  this  little 
church)  we  organized  a  Sunday  School  with  Sister  Dixon  as 
Superintendent;  also  organized  a  weekly  prayer  meeting,  thus 
unfurling  our  banner  to  the  breezes  of  Pedo-Baptist  Greensboro. 
I  mention  the  above  to  show  the  spirit  dominating  Sister  Dixon. 


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It  was  in  the  face  of  bitter  opposition  that  she  took  her  stand 
for  Religious  Liberty,  and  her  position  can  be  more  thoroughly 
understood  when  it  is  known  that  she  was  a  woman  of  high 
culture  and  superb  refinement.  Reared  in  Richmond,  Va., 
the  stronghold  of  the  Baptists,  with  mine  own  eyes  I  have  seen 
Sister  Dixon  on  her  way  to  her  Sabbath  School,  wading  through 
snow  six  to  eight  inches  deep,  with  a  babe  in  her  arms  and 
leading  another  child  by  the  hand,  going  thus  for  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  over  a  sidewalk  not  cleared  from  snow.  Such  faithful- 
ness justly  inspired  her  pastor.  Often  I  would  say:  ««  Sister, 
how  can  you  face  such  opposition  and  struggle  on  so  faithfully?" 
Her  reply  invariably  was:  "  Thus  my  Savior  led  and  I  am  only 
trying  to  follow  Him,  and  I  am  so  happy  in  the  work." 
Thus  we  quote  but  a  few  instances  of  the  faithful  devotion  to 
her  Master's  cause  of  this  noble  woman."  And  from  this 
nucleus  of  three  sprang  forth  the  growth  of  this  Baptist  cause  in 
Greensboro. 

The  following  tribute  was  passed  by  the  Sunday  School 
December  15,  1  889: 

Whereas,  It  has  pleased  God,  in  His  infinite  wisdom,  to  remove  from  our 
midst  our  beloved  co-worker,  Sister  Mary  A.  Dixon,  whose  faithful  work 
for  many  years  has  endeared  her  to  us,  and  who  in  her  zeal  for  the  Master 
was  instrumental  in  the  organization  of  our  School,  therefore  be  it 

Resolved  1st.  That  as  a  Sunday  School  we  do  deeply  feel  the  loss  of 
our  beloved  co-worker,  yet  we  one  and  all  must  bow  to  the  will  of  Him  who 
doeth  all  things  well,  realizing  that  our  deep  affliction  is  her  eternal  gain. 
That  to  be  at  rest  with  Jesus  is  far  better. 


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Resolved  2nd.  That  wz  express  by  an  appropriate  memorial  our  sincere 
and  heartfelt  sympathy  with  the  stricken  family  in  this  their  hour  of  trial;  in 
brotherly  love  pointing  them  to  Jesus  who  was  Himself  "A  man  of  sorrows 
and  acquainted  with  grief,"  and  who  alone  can  heal  their  grief  stricken 
hearts. 

R.  L.  VERNON,  Superintendent. 

JOHN  THOMAS,  Secretary. 

This  was  the  esteem  in  which  Sister  Dixon  was  held  by  the 
Sunday  School  of  which  she  was  the  first  Superintendent.  Two 
beautiful  tributes  were  offered  to  Sister  Dixon's  memory  by  her 
former  Pastors:  Rev.  Drs.  Thomas  Hume  and  W.  R.  Gwaltney. 
Dr.  Hume  writes  through  The  Biblical  Recorder:  <«  She  has 
been  identified  for  more  than  twenty-five  years  —  (of  my  ac- 
quaintance with  her) — with  the  varying  fortunes  of  the  Greens- 
boro Baptist  Church.  The  close  of  the  war  found  the  "  body 
of  Christ"  divided  and  cast  down,  but  she  adhered  to  it  in 
evil  as  well  as  good  report,  and  by  her  faithfulness  and  energy 
inspired  the  weak-hearted  and  unbelieving.  Her  religion  was 
a  matter  of  well  grounded  conviction  and  unswerving  principle, 
yet  surcharged  with  warm  emotion. 

"  There  were  a  few  good  men,  but  what  would  they  have 
done  without  the  steady,  flaming  zeal  and  devotion  of  this  elect 
woman  and  her  few  sisters  in  the  faith." 

Rev.  W.  R.  Gwaltney,  her  Pastor  at  the  time  of  her  death, 
writes:  "  Let  me  give  you  a  few  of  her  last  words:  "  I  am 
so  glad  I  did  not  wait  to  make  my  preparation  until  now." 
"  I  want  to  tell  Jesus  how  little  I  have  done  for  Him,  and  how 


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much  I  want  to  do  for  him."  "  I  want  strength  to  tell  my 
children  that  I  want  them  to  love  Jesus  above  everything  else." 
Her  sister  said:  "  We  shall  miss  you  very  much."  She  re- 
plied:    "  We  must  say,  f<  Thy  will  be  done," 

Thus  passed  over  the  river,  one  of  the  finest  spirits  one  of 
the  writers  of  this  little  memorial  ever  had  the  privilege  of 
meeting,  and  during  the  six  years  that  followed  the  burning  of 
the  old  church,  and  the  building  and  getting  the  new  church 
upon  a  broader,  securer  basis,  Sister  Dixon  showed  the  same 
indomitable  spirit  that  actuated  her  in  the  pioneer  days — literally 
dying  in  the  work  she  loved  so  well. 


MRS.  MARY  A.  PAYNE, 
Born  August  8,  1832. 
Died  January  19,  1904. 
She  was  the  friend  of  the  poor  and  sorrowing. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2013 


http://archive.org/details/inmemoriammrsmar01unse 


MRS.  MARY  A.  PAYNE. 


Referring  again  to  Bro.  Richardson's  reminiscences  of  these 
two  good  women: —  "Different  in  temperament  and  training 
from  Sister  Dixon,  Sister  M.  A.  Payne,  moving  from  the 
country  after  six  months  of  my  pastorate  in  Greensboro,  Sister 
Payne  became  the  active  co-laborer  of  Mrs.  Dixon."  Sister 
Payne — then  lister  Hyatt — was  one  of  the  Charter  members  of 
this  Church  at  its  organization  in  1859,  and  was  a  great  help 
from  the  beginning.  Dr.  John  Mitchell,  the  first  pastor, 
writes: —  "She  was  a  great  help  to  us  from  the  beginning. 
Of  a  Methodist  family,  she  remained  true  to  her  convictions,  a 
very  decided  Baptist  and  true  to  the  Master."  "She  was 
patient  and  quiet,  faithful  at  the  post  of  duty,  and  ready  for 
work.  I  could  always  rely  upon  Sister  Payne.  A  great  com- 
fort to  her  pastor  and  one  of  the  best  Christian  women  I  have 
known."  God  be  praised  for  such  faithful  women  as  Sisters 
Payne  and  Dixon.  It  is  meet  that  the  Church  should  praise 
them.  Grace  be  with  you  all, 
Yours  in  Christ, 

JOHN  MITCHELL. 


10 

Sister  Payne  was  of  especial  help  to  Dr.  Richardson  in 
building  the  house  of  worship,  located  on  South  Elm  Street. 
Bro.  Richardson  refers  to  a  crisis  when  a  heavy  mortgage 
against  the  Church  was  about  to  be  foreclosed: —  "I  can  at 
this  far  away  day  see  that  Gideon's  Band,  Sisters  Payne  and 
Dixon,  leading,  going  into  the  enemies'  camp  with  the  shout  of 
victory.  One  attack  of  theirs  I  shall  never  forget: —  "We 
had  our  little  Church  nearly  completed,  but  there  was  a  note 
of  $700.00  in  the  bank,  falling  due,  and  we  were  notified  one 
Saturday  that  our  note  would  go  to  protest  the  following  Mon- 
day. The  pastor  was  told  by  the  treasurer  that  there  was 
only  $150.00  to  meet  it.  Sabbath  day  dawned  upon  the 
little  band  under  a  heavy  burden.  They  assembled  at  the 
meeting  house  feeling  that  they  had  done  all  they  could.  After 
the  sermon  to  thirteen  members  the  situation  was  discussed. 
Sister  Payne  leading  the  faithful  little  band  said  "Let  us  try." 
Sister  Dixon's  heartily  expressed  "Amen"  inspired  them  so 
that  another  sacrifice  was  made,  and  amid  fervent  prayers  and 
tears  Sister  Payne  broke  the  heavy  suspense  by  saying  "This 
House  Shall  Not  be  Sold!"  Sister  Dixon  replied: —  "Never, 
Never!"  A  second  effort  was  made,  when  a  sufficient  amount 
was  raised  to  meet  the  pressure.  These  Sisters  relied  upon  the 
helping  power  of  God — His  power  to  move  the  people  to 
come  to  His  help,  His  help  against  the  mighty.  Dr.  Richard- 
son sums  up  by  saying: —  "Never  in  all  my  forty  years, 
mostly  in  pioneer  work,  have  I  seen  and  known  such  women  as 


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Sisters  Payne  and  Dixon;  others  their  equals  or  superiors  there 
may  have  been,  but  it  has  not  been  my  fortune  to  know  them. 
In  our  earthly  feelings  Heaven  is  more  attractive,  as  we  think 
of  them  there,  in  that  higher  service  they  loved  so  mu:h  on 
earth." 

Brother  Richardson  herein  voices  the  sentiment  of  all  the 
older  members  of  the  Church  who  knew  these  mothers  in 
Israel  and  their  faithful  pioneer  work,  as  they  laid  broad  and 
deep  the  foundation  upon  which  others  have  builded. 

Fraternally, 

W.  W.  ROWE, 
A.  W.  COOKE, 

Committee. 


